OVER THE AERIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1937, Page 13

OVER THE AERIAL.

RADIO NOTES.

FROM FAR AND NEAR.

(By TUXE-IN.)

At the invitation of Mr. Rodgers, of IZM, '-Gran's" Scottish Radio Club Band and the Auckland and District Pipe Band will be heard from the station on Sunday afternoon. Xo doubt the skirl of the pipes will cheer the hearU of the hundreds of IZM Scottish Club members, whose numbers are now nearing the 2000 mark. The first public gathering of the club is to be held on February -0 at a morning tea.

"One fears that Mr. Shelley's project for the formation of listeners' circles to meet in schoolrooms to hear and discuss broadcasting programmes is foredoomed to failure. It may be possible to organise gatherings of younger folk to dance to broadcast mu&ic, but it is difficult to envisage people leaving their firesides on a winter night to sit in an uninviting school to listen to some of the programmes that now go on the air."—("Timaru Herald.")

Captain Stevens, whose death was reported from Sydney recently, was about the best-known "story man" in Australian radio. At one time he provided a variety of sessions from 2UE, but a year or so ago his health broke down, and listeners subscribed to a fund for his benefit. After his apparent recovery he resumed some of his 2UE sessions, and was just about to commence a tour of the national stations to give "armchair" talks and readings. In addition to radio broadcasts, Captain Stevens had done a good deal of film work, "speaking" the descriptive matter for Australian scenic and industrial movies.

One of the most frequent causes "of noisy or scratchy reception in receivers is a defective winding of a transformer used on the audio-frequency side of a receiver. If the winding is not burnt out, but is showing only a partial fault, testing will be found to be difficult. A suitable test may be made with a 4Jvolt battery connected across either winding of a transformer suspected of being faulty and a pair of headphones joined up across the other winding. A loud scratching noise will be apparent if the transformer is at fault. It is a wise plan to reverse the headphones and battery and test the other winding. If no noise is apparent with each winding, the fault must be searched for elsewhere.

Sunday night's programme from IYA will be wholly taken up with a recital by the Auckland Municipal Band, conducted by Mr. T. J. O'Connor, and relayed from the rotunda in Albert Park. A fine programme includes marches, the "Merry Wives of Windsor" overture, a national fantasia, the nocturne "Liebestraume," the tone poem "Finlandia," and cornet solos by Bandsman J. Davies. Station IYX features a light musical programme from 6 p.m., and at 8.30 p.m. until 10 o'clock a classical recital programme featuring Reginald GossCustard (organist), the St. George's Singers (male choir). Jascha Heifetz (violinist), Helnrlch Schlusnus (baritone), Pablo Casals ('cellist), and Ninon Vallin (soprano). THE CHILDREN'S HOUR. In the following letter to "Tune In" a correspondent signing himself "8.A." makes some interesting suggestions concerning the children's sessions:— "With your kind permission, may I express per medium of your columns a few ideas regarding the broadcasting of the children's hours. It is not my intention to decry the programmes submitted to the youngsters during these sessions, but merely to voice an opinion. It seems to me that the lack of originality and a misunderstanding of the child mind is a glaring factor in the presentation of the children's hour. Most of us know that a child will attract a child, and, of course, he is never happier than when playing with or listening to other children. How dull and tiresome we adults become. ' "Notice, for instance, how the son and heir will often disappear and return home minus the seat of his pants. Of course, he has been playing with the other 'kids,' and what a great time he has had. And so with radio. A great deal more of child personality is certainly needed. Why not have a children's hour broadcast by the children ? A series of short plays, educative and entertaining, could quite easily be performed bv the youngsters. What could i be more thrilling than to have a boy or tgirl master of ceremonio*, a tiny tot as an announcer, with a whole cast of juvenile performers playing their parts in their own inimitable way? I think sometimes it~ is a pity that children do not have a boy or girl Parliamentary representative, who would, in a very determined 'kids' manner, demand a readjustment of the boys and girls' hour. Why not let the children 'run their own show' and have a better chance to develop that much sought after quantity —a radio personality V'

FROM IYA NEXT WEEK. ~ Sunday—9-0 a.m., selected recordings; 11.0, relay of service from St. Luke's Presbyterian Church; 1.0 to 8.0 p.m.. dinner music; 2.0 to 4.30, selected recordings, at 3 ' 30 ' a recorded presentation 9r the Hoyal Philharmonic Orchestra play--1 «. lg , M° zart ' s "Symphony No. 34 in C • Major'; 7.0, relay of service from St. Mary s Anglican Cathedral; 8.30, concert by the Auckland Municipal Band, relayed from Albert rark. 1 «», Mon £ a y—lJ-O «-m., and at Intervals throughout the day, commentary on play in the Plunket Shield cricket match, AuckJ? nt ? v ,\ „^ el lington, relayed rrom Eden 8 - 0, concert programme, featuring I Tb „ e FI J ° n the Wall," a radio sketch, produced by Allan F. McSkimming; "Playgoers,' a domestic episode by Arthur Pinero produced by Maisie Carte-Lloyd 9.0, talk by Madame Irene Ainsley. "K fingers Memories"; also Sam Duncan, tenor, and the studio orchestra. Tuesday.—ll.o a.m., and at intervals throughout the day, commentary, relayed , Eden , £ ark . on the Plunket Shield cricket match, Auckland v. Wellington; 8.0. concert programme, recorded; 9.5. talk on "World Affairs" by Mr. H. G. Bell; 0.20 until 11.0, "Jazz Virtuosi," a short programme, featuring Benny Goodman and i his orchestra. Wednesday.—B.o p.m., chamber music. ■ featuring Vincent Aspey, violin, Kathleen O Leary, piano, in "Sonata in G Major for i Violin and Piano" (Grieg), Robert Simi mers, baritone, followed by recordings; , 10.0 to ii.o, inusic, mirth and melody, i Thursday.—B.o p.m. concert programme, featuring Rex Sayers and players In '< "Microphone Melange," a continuity hour I and a mixture or mirth, melody and mime; • 0.20 to 10.0, band music, recorded, with studio Items by Alan Morton, cornetist and ' Doris Jenkins, soprano; 10.0 to 11.0. an ■ hour or dance music in strict tempo by , Victor Silvester and his ballroom orchestra. Friday.—7.3o p.m.. sports talk by Gor- ■ don Hutter; 8.0, concert programme , featuring classical and symphonic music l>y composers whose works have had a definite iniluence on the music or their » respective schools; 10.0 to 11.0, music, mirth and melody. Saturday.—7.3o p.m.. talk by the ' gardening expert; 8.0, concert programme. featuring a vocal quartet, the National i Four. Eileen Joyce, pianist, in a recorded , recital; Patricia McLeod. soprano; 10.10 to 11.15; dance music by A 1 Smith and ' his "Hot Syncopaters."